Leave - Volunteer Community Service

The DHS policy guidance in Management Directive 254-01, Volunteer Community Service, applies and permits employees who participate in volunteer activities directly related to the DHS mission to receive up to 40 hours of administrative leave per leave year for volunteer community service. Employees who wish to use administrative leave must not have previously exhausted the 40 hours per year administrative leave maximum for volunteer community service. If the 40 hours per year maximum has been exhausted, employees must request annual leave, leave without pay, credit hours (under a flexible work schedule), or compensatory time off, to be eligible to participate in volunteer community service activities.

• The administrative leave permitted for volunteer activities must be directly related to the mission of the DHS in either of the following mission areas:
  • Prevention and Protection: Engage in volunteer activities that will involve detecting, deterring, and mitigating threats to our homeland, including training in prevention and protection. This includes volunteer activities to help safeguard our people and their freedoms, critical infrastructure, and property from acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.
  • Preparedness and Response: Engage in volunteer activities that involve planning, coordinating, or participating in responses to acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies, including training in preparedness and response. This includes participating in national, state, local, and private sector efforts to restore services and rebuild communities after acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.
• Employees must have the concurrence of their first-level supervisors before volunteering. The granting of administrative leave for volunteer activities must be approved in the following manner:
  • One day of administrative leave - 1st level supervisor.
  • Two or more days of administrative leave - 2nd level supervisor.
• For additional guidance regarding the appropriate use of leave, work schedules and workplace flexibilities, contact the servicing Command Staff Advisor or Human Resources Specialist.
• Employees who participate in volunteer community service are encouraged to maintain records of their volunteer service hours by registering with the President’s Volunteer Service Award website.
• The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard—measured by the number of hours of service over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime.
• Employees may follow these steps to track their volunteer service hours:
  • Register at the President's Service Award Website, click on the tab titled, "Track Your Hours" and follow the steps to register and begin tracking your volunteer hours.
  • When registering, use the Record of Service Key LSM-22515. Employees who have already registered can add this key by updating their Profiles.
  • Go to the "Groups" tab and join one of the following groups by typing the Coast Guard group code (RNP-224X) and clicking, "Join Group."
• Employees who participate in volunteer service activities are eligible to receive a personalized certificate of achievement and a congratulatory letter from the President of the United States.